A conventional apparatus for practice of ambulation comprises a vertical arm for suspending a walking person, and first and second horizontal arms for supporting the vertical arm. The first horizontal arm is held horizontally to move in the horizontal direction, and the second horizontal arm is held horizontally to move in the vertical direction, and bears a weight of a person walking on a circular path having a predetermined radius. When the person walks out of the circular path, the vertical arm follows the walking person by the horizontal and vertical movements of the first and second arms, so that the walking person is supported by the vertical arm. Consequently, the practice of ambulation can be carried out for a person having a low walking ability or less ability of controlling a walking direction.
However, the conventional apparatus for practice of ambulation has a disadvantage in that the construction is complicated, because the first and second horizontal arms are guided to move in the horizontal and vertical directions.
For the purpose of overcoming this disadvantage, there has been proposed another apparatus for practice of ambulation which comprises a horizontal arm for suspending a walking person at one end thereof, two parallel arms for supporting the other end of the horizontal arm at one ends thereof, and a piston having a piston rod to be moved horizontally and connected to the other ends of the two parallel arms. In this apparatus for practice of ambulation, the horizontal arm moves horizontally in compliance with the motion of a walking person, while the two parallel arms shift from the vertical posture to the slant state by the horizontal movement of the piston. Consequently, the walking person is followed by the single guide means to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage.
However, the latter apparatus for practice of ambulation has the disadvantage in that a person can take a position outside of a predetermined circular path so that a person having less control ability of a walking direction can not return to the circular path, because the suspending horizontal arm follows the walking person freely. Furthermore, there is a disadvantage in that an apparatus cost is increased, because means for guiding the piston structure horizontally is provided, and a motion resistance of the piston structure is required to be lowered.